Why did I get zapped?

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That is ok Frenchie.
Tom, I might get someone in there to take a look and see what all needs done. I might get them from all the different areas. I am lucky in that I have engineer friends, one is structural, could use his services for sure, one is civil, would need him possibly, one electrical that is an absolute, and one a master plumber. I figure I could cover all the bases on that. I am interested in this property mainly, because I could also, rent out over the garage if the boys weren't interested. Plus, their is actually what could be used as a small store front in the garage, I am thinking of a newspaper. I could have an income from the rental and the paper; and, a place to live. So, who knows will see. With spring coming I am going to take a chance and see, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have had my eye on this place for a few years.
 

Verdeboy

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Like I said, it's not the illegality of Eric's business that bothers me - we each decide what risks we're comfortable with - it's the reckless attitude he displays at times - if someone else gets harmed, that's not okay.

I'm sure you know, Frenchie, that typewritten words can be misinterpreted. When you're standing next to someone, you know when they're talking tongue-in-cheek. You never know how serious someone is on the internet, unless they put in a bunch of LOL's or something similar.

The "professional" thing was tongue-in-cheak. The "yukky" money was also. Even the title of this thread was deliberately provocative to get attention. Of course, I know why I got zapped. I was a moron for not checking ALL the wires for juice, even after shutting off the breaker, and for assuming that they were all on the same circuit.

If you want to hear about something really unsafe, and this is true:
My first job in an apartment complex, my boss gives me a bunch of light fixtures, receptacles, and light switches and told me to install them. I told him that I never installed any electrical devices before and I had no idea how to do it. He laughed and said, "Just make sure you don't touch the white and black wires together", and walked away.

So, if I was ever going to burn down a building, that was the time to do it. Over the next 15 years, I've worked with many guys who knew a lot, including many electricians, attended workshops, asked a lot of questions, and I still don't dabble in things I'm not comfortable with.

Last week, one of the buildings in my apartment complex burned down. The maintenance guy had just worked on a furnace and somehow bypassed the high-limit switch. It overheated and caught fire. None of the smoke alarms in the building worked either. Fortunately, no one died. So far as I know, the owners have not been fined. They did can the maintenance guy.

40k a year? I'd own this town if I ever made that. What are you guys gonna do when the next great depression hits or WWIII starts. Guys like me, who know how to rough it, will find it much easier to survive than guys who only know how to do one thing, like electricians and accountants and the like. LOL

BTW, I don't use the vinyl spackle for holes bigger than a quarter. It doesn't pay to mix up the 5 minute stuff for little repairs like that.
 
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Speedy Petey

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40k a year? I'd own this town if I ever made that.
That is a sad, sad, fact.


What are you guys gonna do when the next great depression hits or WWIII starts. Guys like me, who know how to rough it, will find it much easier to survive than guys who only know how to do one thing, like electricians and accountants and the like. LOL
Who the heck ever said we (I) only knew how to do one thing??? I bet I can do as much as you can, at least to the same level of "professionalism", possible more. Do you think we all live in a box and never look out side it? It is amazing what you can learn working side by side with the other trades for 25 years.
I can do every aspect of building a house, from concrete, to framing, to roofing. Also, quite a bit of commercial work like welding and steel work and more.
I can also take apart and re-build pretty much any car or motorcycle you give me.
Now, I am NOT bragging, I am just stating that you are not the only "jack of all trades" here. I just happen to be a jack of all trades, and a master of one.
And that one is how I make my living.
 

Verdeboy

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Who the heck ever said we (I) only knew how to do one thing??? I bet I can do as much as you can, at least to the same level of "professionalism", possible more. I just happen to be a jack of all trades, and a master of one.

I guess even using LOL doesn't work for the humorous-impaired.

I was also a "master" a couple of times in my life. First as a research scientist, then later, as a property/facilities manager.

I gave them up, because they involved working in the corporate world, which I found repugnant and unacceptable. So, I gave up the 6 figure salary, the big house in the Grosse Pointes (a Michigan reference), the fancy sports cars, etc.. for the sake of my sanity and inner peace.

Now I'm "poorer" on the outside, but infinitely "richer" on the inside.
 

Statjunk

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Verde,

I've wanted to sheer the corporate evil from my back and get back to the basics of life. However, I fear the long term.

Should I lose my help and unable to make ends meet etc... I don't want to need for much when I get older.

How do you deal with those fears?

Tom
 

Verdeboy

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It requires a great leap of faith.

I had a bit of a panic attack, at first, because I had very specific skills that did me no good in the outside world.

My first post-corporate job was as a groundsman in an apartment complex for $6/hr. Within a couple of years, I became manager of that same apartment complex, and then things became too corporate again, so I quit to explore alternative lifestyles, such as the aforementioned "intentional communities". www.ic.org

If you are flipping houses, then you have a lot more skills than I had when I first left the rat race.
 

Mikept

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There is a general principle that you should apply.

When you run into a "funky" circuit you must assume that proper circuit principles may have been (were probably) violated. There are a couple of things you should do after you make that discovery.

1. Since it is a "funky" circuit it is probably non-standard and nobody here is going to be able to tell you how it is really connected.

2. Given the Situation #1, your only solution is to trace it out or figure it out, and draw it on paper, until you KNOW that you understand it. You MUST verify your paper diagram by measurements and by verifying the sources of the power and neutral wires. You must understand how it works as installed. If you must disassemble a circuit to check it out, you MUST label all wires so you can put it back together.

If you aren't prepared to do #1 and #2, then you shouldn't mess with the circuit.

If you want to just disconnect the black and white wires of an old light fixture and connect the black and white wires of a new fixture, and leave any old errors in place, then you can do that. However, you must realize that if there is a problem and the customer or the insurance company or the fire marshall bring in a licensed electrician they are going to want to know who last worked on the circuit.


..takes down notes on that one to remember... brilliant answer Bob!!
 
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pudge565

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technically he is a professional if you look at the deffinition. 1 a: of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b: engaged in one of the learned professions c (1): characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2): exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace2 a: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b: having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c: engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>3: following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>


if you ask me he is not to me you are only a pro if you went to some sort of training. i am currently in vo- tech so i am by far not a pro yet but in some cases i know what i am talking about.
 

BrianJohn

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Who the heck ever said we (I) only knew how to do one thing??? I bet I can do as much as you can, at least to the same level of "professionalism", possible more. Do you think we all live in a box and never look out side it? It is amazing what you can learn working side by side with the other trades for 25 years.

I totally remodeled one house from foundation to complete exterior redo, and built two houses from ground up to include all custom trim and cabinets.

And I have learned one thing, on the next house I'll sub it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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